2023/24 Annual Budget endorsed
Published on 20 June 2023
The 2023/24 Annual Budget was endorsed at tonight’s Council Meeting, allocating $223.5 million to fund the delivery of essential services, facilities, and infrastructure.
This spend reflects a commitment to support ongoing community recovery efforts, noting the October 2022 Flood event and the cost of living pressures in a post COVID-19 environment, and to fund appropriate service delivery and infrastructure updates through a robust capital works program.
The focus is on delivering the services and facilities that our community has consistently expressed as important in helping them to rebuild and reconnect.
There will be a 2.98 per cent increase in total rates revenue collected, below the State Government's maximum rates cap of 3.5 per cent to support the rejuvenation of our City while maintaining a careful balance between revenue and expenses.
Of the allocated $223.5 million, $87.63 million is dedicated to capital works, while $135.9 million is allocated to ensure the continued delivery of essential services and programs across the municipality. This includes support for maternal and child health, immunisation services, arts and cultural experiences, library and community centre events.
To enhance connectivity, safety, and access to assets our community uses daily, approximately half of the capital works budget will be invested in roads, footpaths, and public realm works including the Joseph Road Precinct upgrades and delivery of the Civic Precinct and Community Hub with associated community park and meeting spaces that will be returned to the community for use upon completion.
$14.488 million will be spent on sporting facilities, and $10.891 million on streetscape works. This will include funding final designs for Bunbury Street and Barkly Street, along with long-awaited upgrades to Shorten Reserve, and detailed design or delivery of upgraded pavilions at Dobsons, Hansen and Pennell Reserves, and at Yarraville Oval.
In recognition of the value of open space to our community, Council will also draw down $4.388 million from open space reserves for land remediation, open space improvements at Quarry Park, and a new Raleigh Street Pop-Up Park, with an additional $1.4 million allocated to improving parks and gardens across the municipality.
Mayor, Cr Sarah Carter expressed gratitude to the community for their active engagement and valuable input in shaping the Annual Budget through two separate conversations held in late 2022 and early 2023.
"We understand the challenges our community has faced, from the impact of COVID-19, increasing cost of living pressures, and the October 2022 flood event. This budget reflects our commitment to listening to our community and addressing their priorities. We have allocated funds where you have told us they are most needed, focusing on areas such as roads, footpaths, public spaces, and essential community services," Mayor Carter said.
"As a passionate advocate for improving our infrastructure, it’s great to see roads and footpaths prioritised to help improve and ensure safe connections for residents and visitors. It also reflects our commitment to addressing the keys concerns the community identified in the recent Annual Community Survey," she continued.
Capital works funding for the 2023/24 Annual Budget includes:
- $32.90 million for public realm and streetscapes upgrade
- $21.78 million for roads and footpaths
- $14.48 million for sport and recreation facilities
- $6.27 million for aquatic and leisure centres
- $3.12 million for early years and young people
- $2.76 million for community centres, arts and libraries
- $2.47 million for parks and gardens
- $1.03 million for drainage
- $1.02 million for bike infrastructure
- $375,000 for waste management
Other prior commitments to be delivered include the new Splash Park at Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre, with $6 million allocated to support its completion by this summer, and the upgrade of the Western Lawn at Footscray Park, with $4.5 million committed – noting additional funding has also been endorsed to manage contamination and deliver this long-awaited upgrade.
To maintain the current level of waste services, which our community has told us they value and appreciate, we’re having to increase waste service charges to compensate for higher landfill levies imposed by the Victorian Government and rising recycling, processing, and contract costs.
For more information about the development of the Annual Budget 2023/24 and community engagement, visit yourcityyourvoice.com.au/budget
For more information and to download a copy of the 2023/24 Annual Budget, visit maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/budget
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